Steve Webb
CHAVEZ RAVINE, CA — It couldn’t have ended any other way. After an amazing regular season, the Dodgers were not about to let the year end on a dud. Even though they haven’t been playing their best baseball of late, the team was able to summon up the focus to put one last regular season W in the books before heading into the playoffs next week. And the game was just about perfect. In almost every way. In the end, it was a 6-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies, finishing the regular season on the highest of high notes.
Kersh throws a gem
We all knew that Clayton Kershaw wouldn’t be in this one for long. Manager Dave Roberts assured us of that prior to game time. But while we had him, he was just great. Clayton went five innings in this one, giving up just one hit. And that one hit was the only blemish to Kershaw’s day, a solo home run from rookie shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. Other than that and a first inning walk, it was a perfect day for ol’ number 22.
Knowing it was going to be a short outing, Kershaw attacked hitters a little differently in this one, using his whole arsenal from the get-go. And it paid dividends. The young Rockie hitters didn’t know what to do with his pitches all afternoon. Clayton struck out nine in just five innings of work. And, in so doing, he passed up the legendary Cy Young on the all-time strikeout list. Kershaw now sits alone in 24th place on the list, with 2,807 strikeouts. It’s not the first time Clayton’s name has been mentioned in the same breath as Cy Young, and it may not be the last.
Though there were two trips to the IL in 2022, the year has got to be talked about as one of the better ones of his career, simply because we had no business expecting him to be this good at this hour of the day. The season-ending injury in 2021 put the entire future of the Dodger legend in question. But all those questions were answered from the opening bell. Kershaw’s final stats for 2022: 12-3 / 2.28 ERA / 0.94 WHIP / 22 starts / 126.1 IP / 137 K. Can’t wait to have him dominate in the postseason.
Offense gets back on track
Kershaw’s performance was great, but it wasn’t the only good news to come out of the final day of the year. Two of the Dodgers’ most reliable hitters all season long also found their strokes after slumping a bit in late September.
Trea’s big day
First, Trea Turner was 2-for-4 in this one, and delivered the key hit of the game: a three-run blast that put the Dodgers’ in the lead for good. After striking out in his first two at-bats, Turner got into the box in the bottom of the fifth with two men on and only one out. He got ahead of reliever Chad Smith and then drilled a 3-1 sinker over the centerfield fence. It was a hit that was a long time coming. After a drought that lasted nearly a month, Turner got his 98th, 99th, and 100th RBI on the last day of the season. Then, in his final AB of the year, Turner ripped a single to the left side. That is the stroke that will be needed in October. Hopefully, he’s found something.
Freddie’s ready (for October)
For Freddie Freeman, it was a final game of the year with a lot on the line. Due to his recent 0-for-12 slide, he had slid into second place in the batting race behind the Mets’ Jeff McNeil. And, since McNeil decided to weasel out of playing on the final day and sit on his lead, Freddie had the mammoth task of going 4-for-4 in order to win the batting title. And damned if he didn’t almost pull it off.
In the first inning, he ripped the first pitch he saw into right for a hustle double. Then, in the third, he swung at the first pitch again and blasted a game-tying solo home run to straightaway centerfield. The dream of a batting title came to an end in the fifth with a long flyball out, but undaunted, Freeman proceeded to smack another single into right in the seventh. It scored Miguel Vargas from second and thus became Freddie’s 100th RBI as well. And it was also his 199th hit of the year. So close to the batting title! So close to 200! But Freeman’s ultimate goal is about three weeks away.
Cody’s heating up (just in time)
Though Trea and Freddie knocked in five of the Dodgers’ six runs, Cody Bellinger came up big as well. He went 2-for-4 in this one, including a nice home run to right in the 7th. It looks like Belli is finding a bit of a groove here as the season ends. In his last 15 game, he’s hitting .326 with an OPS of .826. You get that out of the nine-hole in the playoffs and there’s a parade in this town in November.
Bullpen throws up four more zeroes
After Kersh’s exit, it fell to the bullpen to bring the ship into harbor. And they did a fantastic job. Yency Almonte, who continues to have a 0.00 ERA after his IL stint, pitched a scoreless 6th. Chris Martin was perfect with two strikeouts in the 7th. In the 8th, Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in order for the first time all season. And though things got a little dicey for Caleb Ferguson in the 9th, he managed to strike out Michael Toglia with the bases loaded to end the game.
A storybook regular season has come to end. 111-51. Amazing. Eleven more wins, and this team will take its place among the greatest of all time.
Cans of Corn…
- With Wednesday’s win, the 2022 Dodgers now have the highest regular season winning percentage in franchise history as well. Their .685 clip just edges out the 1953 Dodgers who finished with a .682 mark in 154 games (105-49).
- Kershaw made seven starts after returning from the IL. 4-0 with a 1.54 ERA. Vintage.
- Jeff McNeil, you ain’t no Ted Williams.
- Such a good vibe at the ballpark today. Hopefully, this win will propel the team to a productive layoff and they can come back with a purpose on Tuesday.
- San Diego and the Mets series starts on Friday. Let’s go Padres?
- It’ll be interesting to see what the Dodgers do with Kimbrel. Since being demoted, he’s really pitched well in his spots. A 1.35 ERA in his last seven appearances.
- I’m so ready for October.
